A Deal With Death
by Siriandemi
Summary: AU- They love each other, but were watching from the sidelines. Because the other was happy, they both were happy, not knowing if they had talked, they would know the truth... That they could be more happy if they where together... After all, they only had themselves to blame... or did they?... A Hermione/Harry Pairing. H/H -HP/HG - H/Hr


**Disclaimer**

I don't own anything relating to Harry Potter. This story was made after my own illusion world of how I dislike the pairing in the canon. The truth is, I like the Harry Potter Books a lot, but I can't make sense of the epilogue. SO I am trying to make sense to it, by writing my own ending... or beginning...

**Notes:**

This story is also a call for help, and I don't expect to continue this story, even if I actually have notes to continue. I might go back and continue it, but for now this is just a one shot. I don't mind if people getting inspired by the this story and want it as a challenge... Or if someone wants my notes on what I had in mind. I will be happy to send it...

But the truth is, I am actually working on an epic sage of my own alternative Universe of Harry Potter...and this story is just a call for help about how much Help I am in need on my grammar issues- More info after the end...

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**_/Story\\\_**

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**A Deal With Death**

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_Part 1... The beginning of the end_

The celebration after the battle still raged in Hogwarts as the victorious side celebrated their friends and loved ones, whose had sacrificed themselves for the survivors and freedom of their society.

Hermione Granger had left them all behind as she walked out of the main door. Her mind was still dazed from the aftermath, not to mention the kiss, she had shared with Ronald Weasley. It was not that she didn't like it, actually, since the summer after fifth year she had dreamed of the kiss. However, something was still missing as her mind and body relaxed from the afterglow. She could now start to place the pieces together without fear of being hunted. For the first time in a long time, Hermione started to do what she was best at; to puzzle pieces together and see those pieces from a different angle.

It was not that she didn't like Ron, no, Hermione really wanted the newly formed relation to work with one of her best friends, but a part of her mind was trying to tell her something. It was like a piece of a puzzle was still missing, and that piece was sending her mind into torment. She would not get peace until the puzzle was solved. Not to mention her own jealous feeling toward Ginny Weasley.

It was maybe the decided factor to what made Hermione's feet move on its own, as she walked absently to an unseen destination lost in thoughts. She didn't mind as long as she was walking, she would have preferred to sit at the library, but right now, Hogwarts had too many people inside, and she needed fresh air to calm her down.

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_/Scene break\\\_

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Harry had just tried to comfort Ginny before he walked her to the rest of the Weasley. He didn't want to intrude since they all needed time to come to grieve with their lost ones. He Looked at his oldest friends, Ron Weasley, since Hogwarts express. Hermione, however, was not there with him.

It was not that he disliked the newly formed relationship with Ron and Hermione. If he should be true to himself, he was actually pushing Hermione toward Ron. After Ron had destroyed the locket in their hunts, Harry simple avoided any signs that could be intercepted as affection toward his female best friends to avoid the jealousy and a chance that Ron, his first friend, wouldn't leave them again.

The truth was, while he did tell Ron that Hermione was like a sister to him. It was more to amp down his first friend. Harry problem was, that he didn't know where to put Hermione. After all, he needed her to function. If Hermione had left him like Ron did in the tent... The thoughts alone made him shiver in fear. Hermione was a family to him. The only explanation toward the 'sister' part was, that family always came first. Since Hermione was a girl, and she was in the list of people he didn't want to lose; 'sister' was the right word. His female best friend had acted like anything he wanted when he needed the most.

Harry was happy that his friends got together. Ron stayed as their friends, and Hermione was still in his life if his relationship with Ginny blossomed into something more than a crush. And he finally got a big happy family with Hermione and the Weasley.

As Harry smiled to the thoughts, he left the great hall and headed toward the stone bridge, only to have his heart in his throat as he spotted his female best friend standing with her back too close to the edge for his comfort...

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_/Scene Break\\\_

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Hermione was now standing in the middle of the stone bridge, it was the only way to get into Hogwarts without sailing or flying. She was actually standing where Harry had broken and throw the elder wand into the darkness of the abyss. Why she was standing and looking down at the abyss she had no idea.

"Jump and it will make my work a lot easier dear..." a soft woman's voice spoke behind and startled Hermione, who turned around with her wand ready in her hand.

Hermione eyed the newly arrived, the woman wears a dark robe and cloak with a hood, which sent an unnatural shadow that hide her face. "Who are you?" Hermione asked and lowered her wand a little, to show that she would not attack the woman, but was ready if she felt threaten.

The woman started to chuckle in response. "Dear, I am Death..." The woman said.

As the words escaped her mouth, everything was frozen at the spot. Birds stopped in mid-flight, while dust and sand which was just a moment ago moving with the wind only to be frozen like someone had pressed the pause button.

Hermione eyes widened in fear, as she knew that anyone powerful enough to stop time, was someone she would not mess with.

"You are Death?" Hermione repeated to make sure she heard correctly the first time.

"Yes dear, as I told you, jumping down would make it a lot easier to me" Death answered with a grin. She walked slowly toward Hermione.

Hermione could barely move as she was frozen in place by the statement. But she had to know, if the woman was truly death, Hermione had to know. "Then it is my time?" She stated with barely any sound escaping her mouth. Suddenly everything felt cold around her.

"Not your time dear, I am just here to collect the soul of Harry Potter" Death grinned as she leaned her head toward the frozen girl's ear and whispered: "He is going to kill himself, because of you..."

Hermione's heart skipped, why would Harry kill himself? She asked herself. "Why?" she asked out loud as she realised that death had moved and was slowly walking, or was she gliding toward the castle?

"Wait!" Hermione yelled; " Harry doesn't deserve to die, he had worked too hard to die, take me instead. He deserves happiness!" Hermione cried, she would have run to Death and fallen to her knee and begged if she was not frozen in place.

Death stopped as she turned around to face the girl. "These remind me of when... I... His mother begged to save Harry, it was not her time... but Death gave it a chance... and took her instead..." Death answered and looked like she was in deep thoughts.

"Then give him another chance" Hermione cried only to get her heart-broken as death laughed like it was a bad joke.

"Dear, Harry never truly understand what love is, when he will understand, and realise his love for you, it will be too late, because the potion inside his body will make him unstable and confused." Then with a little accident he will fall and die." Death said and move to the side.

Hermione could now see Harry frozen in a place at the start of the bridge. His body, however, indicated that he was in a rush, probably was rushing toward her. Her eyes moved to Harry then to death and back again. She was too scared, even from the distance she could see the scared and confused look on her best friend's face. The potion remark did make her mind confused...

Death chuckled as she pointed at something in front of Harry, a rubble...

Hermione gasped as she already can see the accident in her head! "No, take me instead!" Hermione cried out" only to have death smile.

Then something hit her like a truck. The pieces that were tormenting her mind was finally falling into place, Harry loved her? The revelation of that alone was a double edge sword. Hermione like the idea very much, but because of it, Harry was going to die. Her tears now escaped her eyes.

As her mind tried to find a solution to save Harry's life, another revelation came through; if death truly wanted Harry life why would Death stop and talk to her first?

Hermione closed her eyes as she leaned back, only to again be frozen in place.

"Dear, is that truly want you want?" Death asked and had somehow moved to stand beside Hermione.

"There is a reason you talked with me first, a soul for a life right?" Hermione said as she closed her eyes again.

Death smiled to the young girl, " Open your eyes please" Death requested and Hermione opened her eyes.

"Even if you die, you can't save him, you know that?" Death said as she gazed at the hazel eyes of the young girl.

Hermione eyes widened and a single tear escaped her right eyes. "But? Why would you talk to me then, why tell me that his love for me is his doom? Is this an amusement to you, to torture me, to... by telling how it is my fault that My love, my Harry is going to die because of me, and I can't do anything about it!"

Death didn't response, so Hermione continued; "but if I can't save him, then there is no reason to live... if he dies, I die..." Hermione stated as she closed her eyes again.

A heavy sigh escaped Death. "Then I give you a chance as Death gave his mother, to travel back in time to where it all started. I... Lily couldn't stop Tom Riddle from finding them, and she can't stop him from casting the killing course, but she had used her time wisely. She found the only way and gave her son a chance to live, by giving a piece of her soul as a ward to her son..." Death stopped as she smiled at the young girl who eyes opened as another revelation had hit the girl.

"Yes, she made Harry a hocrux... But enough about that, you my dear, I give you the hallow." The broken pieces of elder wand came flying from nowhere and into the hand of Death.

"Looks like I have to fix this" Death said and looked at the two pieces of the elder wand, which started to grow in her hand to two identical wands.

Death gave Hermione one of the wand, before an invisible cloak materialised in front of Death, which she split in two and folded one of the pieces and gave it to Hermione.

"Now where was the stone" Death chuckled and a whining sound of something when through the air with enormous speed only to have death rose her hand up and the object came from the forbidden forest and into Death's hand, she too split it in two.

Death chuckled and gave one of the pieces to Hermione.

Hermione wondered what was going on, until Death started to explain. "Now, this is going to be complicated, you see. You my dear are going to replace a young Hermione who was so excited that she forgot to open her eyes when she ran into the portal to Hogwarts express, but when she finally did it... It was too late. So I will take her soul a little before the accident" Death grinned only to have Hermione looking confused.

"I am giving you a chance in a new world Dear, if you off cause takes my offer, you have to do a little assignment. " Death said and waited for the girl to respond.

Hermione thought about it, she gazed at the frozen Harry, " What will you have me do?" Hermione asked, and it made Deaths smile grew even bigger behind the unnatural shadow.

"The stone will make you able to see auras and souls trapped in items. You my dear are going to destroy any item crossed your path with soul trapped inside, so I can come and... collect those souls for their next adventure. But what I really want you to do, is to break those wands that had cast the killing curse." Death explained and stopped as she shook her head in annoyance. "When a wand had been used to cast a killing curse, it steals the soul from their body and trap it into the the wand. Can you see why I want those wands destroyed?" Death asked and Hermione nodded.

"The cloak and the wand will help you overcome the obstacle, use the item I give you wisely, and don't tell anyone..." Death said and waited for the information to sink in.

Hermione gazed at Harry again, she looked at Death then at Harry. "If I take your offer... will Harry be okay?"

Death sighed but smiled at the girl; "I promise he will be okay. But dear, remember, while the world is the same, you are not. Now hold these items close to your heart and close your eyes and lean back if you will take my offer... if not, you can see the demise of your true love..."

The last statement shocked Hermione, but she knew what she had to do. She made a last look at Harry. "I am Sorry to make you see this Harry, you deserve happiness... I love you..."

Hermione said the last three words with a smile as she turned her head to face the sky. Her eyes closed as she leaned back and let her fall into the abyss. First now she started to think it could have been a trick, but a voice in her head answered and ease her mind. "It's not a trick dear, and no, It doesn't hurt. If I had removed my hood, you will notice that I am Lily, and this was one of my assignments... take care of my baby, my son..."

"The Harry you will meet will not look or act as your Harry, but in this world and the next, he is always our Harry..." To that Hermione smiled, "In this world and next..." Hermione repeated...

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_/ Scene Break\\\_

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Harry walked fast toward Hermione, but as she turned her head to face him, Harry's heart stopped. She was telling him something, he could tell that her lips moved to form words, it made him relax by the beaming and knowing face of his best friend.

Seconds passed as his brain tried to decipher what she was saying, since he was apparently too far away to hear.

What shocked him was that Hermione turned and stared straight ahead and with a smile said something, before she closed her eyes and let her fall backward.

"Hermione!" Harry called as he started to sprint but stumble over a piece of debris. He fell and with widened eyes, he could see a rock closing in.

It was too late to protect his head. So instinctual he closed his eyes and waited for the incoming pain.

"I give you a chance to save her. I give you a chance to return her feelings, yes Harry Potter she is in love with you... I will even give you a chance to become a child, to have what you always wanted, a childhood. If you do me a favour... to clean the wizard world... to bring the damned soul..."

A voice said in his mind. But as Harry was going to respond, an enormous pained spiked on his forehead and moved like waves to the the rest of his body. His head had finally reached the rock.

With barely any strength he turned his body to face the sky as tears trailed from his eyes. He felt dazed but soon pushed it away as he remembered Hermione.

Harry rose up and started to rush toward the spot where he saw his best friend. But the dizziness from his head banged into the rock soon took over.

His body moved as a drunken man, yelling him to stop for a moment to recollect his balance, only to be pushed aside as he trip and fall while determined to reach his destination.

He knew his mind was not working properly, as he finally fell to his knee at the edge.

"You always took her for granted... " The same voice pointed his faults in his mind.

"Give me the damned souls, live your life... and I will grant you the master of the hallows again... be with her Harry... and Harry, you will give her the friendship she deserves … keep her safe... Harry..."

Harry's emotions were too damaged to react to the voice. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't pint point,who the voice belonged to because of his headache and dazed mind.

He didn't care of it anyway, as he just saw Hermione made suicide with a smile on her face. He wanted to know what she said to him, but he blamed himself for talking with Ginny before even looking for his female best friend.

For the first time in a long time Harry screamed with all his might. His scream of pains and his broken heart. It was a cry of unfairness of life. It was also his last act, as the pain in his head from the accident finally made his mind and body numb, as everything turned dark...

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_/Scene Break\\\_

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This was what Ron and Ginny saw as they came out from Hogwart's ground as Harry's lifeless body fell to the abyss.

Ron and Ginny looked at each other in starling revelation as some kind of a spell had finally lifted from their minds. With wands in their hands they turned around and returned inside.

Not noticing Dementors were slowly approaching the castle from above. As the sky darkened and building up to a storm.

Not noticing that the only way in and out of the castle was slowly being destroyed from where Harry had fallen...

/ Part 2, Memories of a possibility\\\

The feeling of free falls finally eased, if it was not the sickening feeling of just being dumped into an alien environment. Hermione would have open her eyes already.

It was also her own desire to remain ignorant of her previous choice of falling into her death, that were the deciding factors of keeping her eyes closed.

The ability to look at her happy memories were also more productive with eyes closed any ways. It was also why she still had a huge smile on her face. All the memories that had flashed in her mind were fuelling her with happy thoughts; memories of her life with her best friends, Ron and Harry. While her memories were mostly her time with Harry, she also knew if she had more courage and lesser fear of hurting her other friends, those memories would have changed and likely be enough to fuel her patronus charm with enough power to destroy any demontors; If her theories about patronus were correct, about more happy the memories were the more powerful would her patronus be...

"Miss?" A voice interrupted her trains of thought and Hermione open her eyes to see a blond girl with a Hogwarts robe and a Prefect badge on her shoulder. "My name is Penelope, I am a fifth year Prefect" The blond greeted.

Hermione was startled by it, she knew for sure that she for few second ago was falling, but now she was standing... Hermione looked around and stopped only to stare dumbly at the Hogwarts express.

Penelope smiled knowingly at the young brunette; " It is unbelievable isn't it?..., but miss?"

"Granger, Hermione Granger" Hermione answered as her eyes wandered again, not sure if she was dreaming or if she had gone insane.

"Well miss Granger, as for your safety, you need to step away from the portal. In a few minutes people would soon start to rush from the Muggle station and into this Perron. And I will like to avoid any accident to a first year being mauled by a trolley. " Penelope said with a smile.

Then from nowhere a boy, a raven haired boy rushed from the portal but his trolley somehow stopped without warning: probably a stone blocked one of it's wheels.

Nevertheless, the boy lost his balance and fell backwards and hit his head.

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_/Screne Breake\\_

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"Welcome to the past Harry. Don't tell anyone, and remember this, This Hermione are not the same one you meet as when you were 11, but you should give her a chance nevertheless... And this time you should try to be a better friend..." Just as the last word was said, Harry woke up with a grimace and a huge headache.

He noticed that he was lying sideways and had taken all the seats, he turned his head to the right, and saw 2 girls sitting opposite him. The older one smiled." Good you are awake, well I will have to go to the perfect meeting now, you have us worried there dear"

"I" Harry spoke up but grimaced.

"Relax, you need some rest, I will cast some spell to give you some privacy, and I will recommend that you talk to Madam Promfey when we reach Hogwarts. " The older one said and rather hurry when outside cast a few spells, and nearly sprint to the right.

Harry then turned his gaze to the other girl, she looked much like the Hermione he came to know. The same Hermione he met at the train to Hogwarts for the first time, when she was helping a fellow students looking for his toad. It made him smile at the memories.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked barely with a whisper like she was afraid of her own words.

"Yeah, with only a headache I think i will survive for now." He joked but regretted as Hermione's face horrified by it.

Harry mentally beat himself, If the voice was correct, he had somehow gone back in time.. And this Hermione don't even know him... "Don't worry about it" He said with a grin trying to make her smile. It seemed to work as she started to relax and smiled back.

"That is good, uhm, how rude of me, My name is Hermione Granger" She said and moved her right hand toward him.

Harry smiled widened and rose to sit up, pushed the pain in his head away and took her hand and gave a shake. "Nice to meet you Hermione, My name is Harry Potter, and thanks for" Harry gazed around him and noticed that all of his belonging were in the compartment.

With a sincerely smile he added; "Thanks for everything" He said, it might not be his Hermione, but this time, he would tell her as many times he could and be there for her as she had been...

He noticed that his statement startled the young girl, but the sparkle in her eyes told him that he did the right thing. Before he knew it she had moved and hugged him with all her worth.

He awkwardly hugged her back. "You are welcome, so tell me about yourself" Hermione asked as she moved away only to sit beside him. He noticed that her hand were resting on top of his laps.

Harry thought back and realized that he never told anyone about his home and actually never asked about Hermione childhood. With a sad smile he looked at her.

"I had a hard life until now, my relatives don't like me, they do whatever they can, to take my happiness away... I Don't like to talk about it, but maybe one day I will tell you everything. " Harry said, he already told her more than he did the last time. Last time was her that put the pieces together, but she never asked more of him. Now that he thought about it, Hermione was likely waiting for him to tell her and didn't want to push him to reveal something that he was ashamed of.

"My life to this point was boring, but I guess I like to be alone... I guess I have a scary personality... I don't know why I do it, but I seemed to scare anyone away from me... " Hermione said as she was looking down on her hands absently playing on top of his lap.

With that, they exchange stories of their childhood and in the blink, they both felt that they have grown closer than ever. Not knowing that both have travel back in time. But they both realized, if they had talked like this back in their own time, they at least would have been a lot happier.

It was when Penelope entered the compartment only to see an adorable sight. They were both asleep but Hermione was resting her head on the boy's shoulder. It seemed that they had fallen asleep while hugging.

The teen gave them a smile and close the door, with a privacy charm in place she walked away, and made a mental note to come back and wake them when they both need to change to Hogwarts uniform.

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_(The End... Maybe)_

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_**AN)**_

Actually I made this story a long time ago. I was trying to make an epic sage of the story, but I decided to abandon it because the plot line was not really set.

**_The plots:_**

Lily was made the avatar of Deaths by her pleading to save her Child Harry. Death accepted it but can't stop it, so he decided to send her back in time to another reality to give her enough time to find a solution. She did and with the knowledge that Voldermort will Only use the killing Curse, she made Her own son a vassal to her Hocrox.

She then noticed that by doing it, A piece of Voldermort soul escaped into Harry. As all mothers she followed him as he grew up, but soon realised that the sacrifice she made, was pushed away. The sacrifice she made to keep her son alive and happy was being meddled by her own mentor.

She decided to change everything as the Last master of Death did. With her knowledge of how lonely she was. She sent Harry and his best friend back.

Harry and Hermione don't know that they both had come back in time. But they were knew what they regretted and did what they always wanted, and a friendship stronger than before blossoming.

But both of them lived a double life.

Hermione seeks out evil and wands while Harry came and collect and send them away.

Hermione's mission was to break as many wands she could that had cast The killing curse and trapped souls within. Not knowing that Harry was pulling the other string.

However, their love was true, and they could not give their love to this vision of their best friend... Even if they both started to love each other, they were still in love with the One from their own Reality.

Later on, one of them was close to death, so the other decided to yell that: "I am not losing you again" WIth that in mind the other knew... and they finally revealed to each other about the time travel and finally became a couple...

Siria 'N


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